The Council has a substantial stock of trees within its ownership, and it is essential for a strategy to be adopted by the authority that reflects current best practice. The recent internal audit commissioned by the Council, identified significant concerns raised with the existing strategy and inadequate levels of resources to deliver.

The draft strategy would be an update to the existing policy. The report sought approval for additional resourcing to deliver the draft strategy.

Following a full discussion, Cllr Aspinell MOVED and Cllr Fulcher SECONDED the recommendations in the report. A vote was taken and it was RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY that:

Members were requested to:

R1: To approve the updated Council’s draft Tree Strategy

Members are asked to recommend to the Finance, Assets, Investment and Recovery Committee:

R2. To allocate an additional £115,000 over a two-year period to undertake a survey of Council Tree Stock.